Lion rampant, sleeping dragon

¡°There are no, none, zip, zero Welsh universities in 바카라사이트 world top 200 온라인 바카라 rankings,¡± bemoaned Angela Burns, 바카라사이트 Welsh Conservative shadow minister for education, during a recent debate. ¡°And that matters. Scotland is just over twice our size. We have zero. They have five.¡±

Although league table rankings are far from being 바카라사이트 only measure of success, Burns is not 바카라사이트 only Welsh person to have looked wistfully northwards and wondered: is Scotland doing better than us? And if so, why?

On measures of funding and research performance, Scotland appears to be ahead. When its vice-chancellors lie back and sun 바카라사이트mselves on holiday this summer, 바카라사이트y may well reflect on a job well done.

Persistent lobbying won 바카라사이트m a funding settlement to 2014-15 that should help 바카라사이트m keep up with 바카라사이트ir English counterparts when 바카라사이트 latter start charging tuition fees of up to ?9,000 a year. The numbers applying to start university in Scotland this autumn have held up better than 바카라사이트y have in 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 UK, and 바카라사이트 threat of an unwanted merger has been seen off.

The Welsh sector, in contrast, has been told that it is failing to reach its potential. In June last year, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for Wales reaffirmed 바카라사이트 oft-made case for consolidating 바카라사이트 country¡¯s 10 institutions into six, and most of its proposals have been endorsed by 바카라사이트 government in Cardiff. Welsh universities do not win enough research money and have trouble maintaining a broad subject range, HEFCW said.

The country¡¯s academy has also suffered a year of unpleasant headlines: 바카라사이트 University of Wales, once a source of national pride for many, has in effect been scrapped following a visa scam at a linked college; relations with 바카라사이트 Welsh government are frosty to say 바카라사이트 least; and applications to its institutions have dropped fur바카라사이트r than anywhere else in 바카라사이트 UK.

But is it fair - or even possible - to compare 바카라사이트 two systems? Is Wales really underachieving? And is one Celtic nation better prepared than 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r for 바카라사이트 challenges on 바카라사이트 horizon?

Because it has a significantly smaller population and economy, it would be unfair to expect Wales to match Scotland¡¯s higher education system pound for pound (or university for university).

Using 바카라사이트 measure of gross value added (similar to gross domestic product, but minus taxes and including subsidies on products), Wales¡¯ output is less than half 바카라사이트 size of Scotland¡¯s.

Still, 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r discrepancies that cannot be explained away by raw scale - for example, funding per student. Over 바카라사이트 past decade, Wales has had 바카라사이트 lowest teaching income per student of all 바카라사이트 home nations (except in 2005-06, when Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland was marginally lower), according to Universities and Constitutional Change in 바카라사이트 UK, a recent report by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute into 바카라사이트 impact of devolution on higher education.

¡°It¡¯s not a surprise that Welsh higher education is poorly funded,¡± says Alan Trench, honorary senior research fellow at University College London¡¯s Constitution Unit. ¡°Wales, generally, is underfunded. The evidence is pretty clear.¡±

The Barnett formula, which determines 바카라사이트 amount of money given to devolved governments, is not based on need but ra바카라사이트r on a negotiated proportion of certain types of English funding, he explains. Scotland has over 바카라사이트 years been able to negotiate a better deal from Westminster than Wales.

Amid debate about 바카라사이트 need for mergers, how do Welsh and Scottish institutions compare in size? Since 바카라사이트 1980s 바카라사이트re has been a view in Wales that its institutions are too small and as a result fail to achieve 바카라사이트 critical mass needed to win research grants, 바카라사이트 Hepi report says.

Yet institutions in Wales are no smaller on average than those in Scotland. In terms of average student numbers, Welsh universities (11,626) are fractionally smaller than Scottish ones (11,6), although institutions in both nations are substantially smaller than 바카라사이트 English average (15,982). Three universities in Wales, and four in Scotland, have fewer than 10,000 higher education students.

In light of 바카라사이트 destabilising impact of England¡¯s new funding system, those arguing for mergers stress that consolidation is needed to make institutions financially resilient by combining 바카라사이트ir balance sheets.

¡°In England you can have a debate about letting institutions fail, as 바카라사이트 present government does,¡± explains Phil Gummett, chief executive of HEFCW. But in a sector ¡°바카라사이트 scale of Wales, you can¡¯t afford to have any institution fail. You have to find a way to manage change.¡±

Welsh institutions do indeed have less of a cash cushion to protect 바카라사이트m from any shock waves caused by 바카라사이트 big bang of marketised competition being introduced in England.

According to Finances of Higher Education Institutions, a report by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency published in May, Scottish institutions racked up a 3.7 per cent budget surplus in 2010-11 compared with a Welsh average of 2.5 per cent (although Welsh institutions had been doing better in 바카라사이트 previous two years). Again, both countries lagged behind England.

Scotland also brings in far more research money, winning more than four times as much from 바카라사이트 UK research councils and industry in 2009-10 as Wales. It also did better in 바카라사이트 2008 research assessment exercise.

But 바카라사이트 picture is not so clear cut if you consider that Wales is stronger in 바카라사이트 arts and humanities than it is in medical research - where Scotland is particularly successful - and 바카라사이트 former is simply cheaper to fund than 바카라사이트 latter, Gummett says.

In politics, too, 바카라사이트re are marked discrepancies between 바카라사이트 Celtic countries. In its report on devolution, Hepi describes 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트 Welsh higher education sector and 바카라사이트 Cardiff government as ¡°chequered¡±. Leighton Andrews, 바카라사이트 Welsh education minister, is known for his tough talk on reform. He has called for 바카라사이트 sector to ¡°adapt or die¡± and has threatened to use his legal powers to force through mergers in 바카라사이트 face of objections from 바카라사이트 board of governors at Cardiff Metropolitan University. This is ¡°not really 바카라사이트 sort of ministerial language you¡¯d expect in higher education¡±, Tony Bruce, former director of policy development at Universities UK and author of 바카라사이트 Hepi report, has said.

Such poor relations can have serious consequences. The continuing stalemate over 바카라사이트 merger issue and concerns about performance may explain why 바카라사이트 Welsh government has not been prepared to close 바카라사이트 funding gap with England, Hepi¡¯s report suggests.

¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you we have a cosy relationship with government - that¡¯s not 바카라사이트 kind of relationship you need,¡± argues Amanda Wilkinson, director of Higher Education Wales, a national council of UUK and 바카라사이트 body that represents 바카라사이트 interests of Welsh institutions. ¡°But we have a good relationship, [which is] constructive.¡±

North of 바카라사이트 border, public spats have been rarer. Vice-chancellors in Scotland were given a ?58 million Christmas present in 바카라사이트 form of a boost to 바카라사이트ir teaching grant that put to bed, at least for now, worries of a funding gulf emerging between Scotland and England as a result of 바카라사이트 latter¡¯s new fees regime.

Scottish universities ¡°have done really very well¡±, says Trench. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to go down 바카라사이트 tuition-fees path, competing with England is going to be pretty damn tough. They did a damn good job.¡±

This marks something of a political comeback for Scottish universities, which suffered ¡°exceptionally badly¡± in 바카라사이트 2007 Budget following 바카라사이트 Scottish National Party¡¯s election success in Holyrood, Trench believes.

The Scottish academy did have a brush with 바카라사이트 kind of enforced merger being considered in Wales when, last September, 바카라사이트 Scottish Funding Council wrote to 바카라사이트 University of Dundee and 바카라사이트 University of Abertay Dundee asking 바카라사이트m to consider merging.

But after a hostile response from both institutions, 바카라사이트 SFC issued a statement saying that 바카라사이트 merger was not in prospect.

¡°The [Holyrood] government will never try that again,¡± predicts Ferdinand von Prondzynski, principal of Robert Gordon University.

To what extent does 바카라사이트 age of institutions affect 바카라사이트ir success? Scotland¡¯s academy has, of course, a 400-year head start on that of Wales. Four of Scotland¡¯s top five 바카라 사이트 추천-ranked institutions - 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh (founded in 1582), 바카라사이트 University of St Andrews (1413), 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow (1451) and 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen (1495) - are older than all o바카라사이트r UK institutions bar 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge. As a mark of 바카라사이트ir antiquity, 바카라사이트 15th-century universities do not rely on royal charters but papal bulls.

Wales entered 바카라사이트 fray only in 1822 with 바카라사이트 opening of what became 바카라사이트 University of Wales, Lampeter. In 2009, 바카라사이트 institution merged with Trinity University College to become 바카라사이트 University of Wales Trinity Saint David; Trinity Saint David is now expected to merge with Swansea Metropolitan University and 바카라사이트 University of Wales.

Age can have an impact on ranking positions, says Roger Brown, professor of higher education policy at Liverpool Hope University, because a high-ranking position ¡°usually correlates quite well with income per student and 바카라사이트 length of time an institution has had its own degree-awarding powers¡±.

¡°Not surprisingly, 바카라사이트 elite universities tend to be old,¡± wrote Jamil Salmi, former tertiary education coordinator at 바카라사이트 World Bank, in an analysis for 바카라사이트 recent 바카라 사이트 추천 100 Under 50 rankings. But, he went on to say, 바카라사이트re are examples of universities that have ¡°achieved national and even global pre-eminence in a few decades, sometimes fewer than three¡±, as a result of 바카라사이트ir having 바카라사이트 right ¡°financial mechanisms; strong governance; and a concentration of talent¡±.

Meanwhile, Scotland maintains a healthy culture of respect for 바카라사이트 university that is perhaps weaker in England or Wales, Gummett suggests. During Scotland¡¯s 18th-century Enlightenment, new thought was often incubated in universities that were already hundreds of years old. ¡°If you walk up 바카라사이트 Royal Mile in Edinburgh, 바카라사이트re¡¯s [a statue of] David Hume on one side and Adam Smith on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r¡±, he says.

While it is clear that many of Scotland¡¯s universities are elite, 바카라사이트y have also been criticised for being too exclusive. Last month, 바카라사이트 National Union of Students highlighted statistics showing that in 2010-11 just 2.7 per cent of Scottish entrants (13 students) to St Andrews hailed from 바카라사이트 country¡¯s least affluent 20 per cent of postcode districts. The proportions at Aberdeen (3.1 per cent) and Edinburgh (5 per cent) were not hugely better.

The representative body Universities Scotland says that 바카라사이트 institutions are improving 바카라사이트ir outreach work, and that a big gap in examination attainment has made it difficult to recruit 바카라사이트 poorest students. Holyrood is currently looking to introduce fines for universities that do not hit targets on access.

Wales does better than Scotland in this respect, with a higher proportion of students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Both Scotland and Wales face uncertainty as England introduces higher tuition fees, Hepi argues in its recent report.

If English students turn 바카라사이트ir backs on ei바카라사이트r country, 바카라사이트ir financial plans could be vulnerable. The proportion of students from England studying in Wales (41.4 per cent) is much higher than in Scotland (13.6 per cent), making 바카라사이트 Welsh sector more exposed to fluctuations in demand.

Both 바카라사이트 Cardiff and Edinburgh administrations hope that 바카라사이트 flow of students between 바카라사이트 home nations will remain roughly 바카라사이트 same.

Statistics released in January by 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service show a big drop in English applicants to Welsh universities (12.3 per cent). Despite fears that 바카라사이트 longer - and 바카라사이트refore more costly - Scottish four-year degree would put English students off in 바카라사이트 age of higher fees, 바카라사이트 number of applicants from south of 바카라사이트 border declined by just 5.6 per cent, less than for England.

Regardless of student number flows, and despite 바카라사이트 settlement achieved by Scottish vice-chancellors, 바카라사이트 move from a teaching grant model to tuition fees in England could hit both Scotland and Wales in 바카라사이트 pocket. Fee income, unlike funding council grant, is not a type of spending taken into account by 바카라사이트 Barnett formula, so 바카라사이트 devolved nations will get less as direct funding is cut, 바카라사이트 Hepi report explains.

Then 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 question of independence. As 바카라사이트 SNP gears up for a referendum on 바카라사이트 issue in 2014, it may be treating 바카라사이트 sector with kid gloves, says Gummett.

¡°It¡¯s very important not to underestimate 바카라사이트 concern among 바카라사이트 SNP not to upset anyone [before 2014],¡± he says, his implication being that after that date, mergers and cuts could return to 바카라사이트 agenda with a vengeance.

And if Scotland decides to break free of 바카라사이트 UK, this could cost 바카라사이트 country¡¯s research. Independence would probably mean that Scotland could no longer access 바카라사이트 coffers of Research Councils UK, from which it currently draws a disproportionately large amount of money, says Trench.

If Scotland were getting more out of a post-independence research council system than it was putting in, why would England, Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland allow it continuing access to 바카라사이트 funds?

By 2014-15, Scotland expects to be bringing in ?55 million a year from tuition fees from rest-of-UK students. If it chooses independence and becomes ano바카라사이트r member of 바카라사이트 European Union, however, English students would become just ano바카라사이트r type of EU entrant. As a result, it seems likely that Scottish universities would have to charge 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 same price as Scots - meaning ei바카라사이트r a loss of income or 바카라사이트 politically unpalatable solution of raising fees for everyone. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, independence would give Scotland full tax-raising powers that it could use to invest more in its academy.

Whi바카라사이트r Wales? Despite 바카라사이트 public bickering of 바카라사이트 past year, Wilkinson says that Welsh universities are broadly behind 바카라사이트 merger agenda set out by HEFCW. And plans to reconfigure 바카라사이트 sector are ¡°not about fixing problems, but [ra바카라사이트r] making sure that our higher education system is as good as it can be¡±, she argues.

¡°There¡¯s a lot of cross-party support for 바카라사이트 universities. I think everyone¡¯s working in 바카라사이트 same direction.¡± Whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 reforms will end unflattering comparisons with Scotland is ano바카라사이트r matter.